LONDON, Ohio – Joe and Peggy Sullivan own and farm 80 acres to the east of Lancaster, Ohio, where they raise corn, soybeans and pumpkins. They also have 2 acres dedicated to blueberries and raspberries and have taken a long look at growing elderberries.

“My dad farmed our land before me and dabbled in blueberries and raspberries, and did quite well,” Joe said. “We’re wanting to diversify and we’ve been taking a long look at elderberries. Peggy does a lot of cooking and baking, and we’ve used the other fruits extensively in our kitchen. We’ve learned that elderberries can be used in jams, jellies, preserves, syrups and sauces, and that’s right up Peggy’s alley. She already sells her other fruit at farmers markets.”

The Sullivans, along with dozens of other interested growers, attended the Farm Science Review in London in September, and listened to berry specialist Ryan Slaughter talk about the prospects of growing elderberries in Ohio.

Slaughter is an Ohio State University Extension research assistant and Ross County Extension educator who teaches elderberry production and pruning through many OSU Extension workshops and online courses. 

According to Slaughter, this perennial plant can generate farm income through direct fruit sales, value-added products, and integrated land uses like hedgerows, with strong market demand and low-maintenance growth potential.

“All my talks are geared toward commercial production of elderberries, but even the production side of these plants can be scaled down to a smaller version for the farmer looking to supplement his income,” Slaughter said.

“We’ve seen farmers take 1, 5 or 10 acres and make a success of growing elderberries. With elderberries we preach farm diversifications, so the farmer isn’t putting all of their eggs in one basket.”

Slaughter said elderberries thrive in well-drained, moderately acidic to neutral soils rich in organic matter. He said Ohio’s soils generally meet these needs, and elderberries are more tolerant of heavier soils that many other berries. Ohio’s warm summer and adequate frost-free period give enough time for canes to grow, bloom, and ripen fruit from August into early fall. Some growers, he said, lean toward the European elderberry.

“The difference between the two is the European plant fruits on two-year old wood, while the American fruits on one-year old wood.”

The American elderberry also grows well in Kentucky and Indiana.

Slaughter said elderberries are sought after by specialty and gourmet food and beverage companies, supplement companies, breweries, vineyards, herbalists and tea companies. The cane of the elderberry bush, which can be processed similar to bamboo, also has value for sheet goods and packaging such as egg cartons, drinking cups and more.

The large clusters of white flowers on elderberries attract bees, butterflies and other pollinators, while the berries feed birds, small mammals and other wildlife. Elderberries offer showy spring blooms, arching branches and dark, attractive fruit, making them a pleasant addition to landscapes.

Elderberries are cold-hardy, fast-growing and prolific producers. Once established, they need little care and can spread by root suckers, creating dense hedges or thickets.

There are just a few down sides, he said. For starters, wildlife may also consume a portion of the crop. Elderberries can spread aggressively via root suckers, forming dense thickets that may encroach in unwanted areas. And because elderberry plants often spread, berries can be scattered and harder to collect in large, clean batches.

As with any plant there are pests. For the elderberry it’s the elderberry borer, aphids, spiker mites, Japanese beetles, stink bugs and spotted-wing flies.

“Despite a few down sides, elderberries can be a profitable cash crop for farmers, especially when marketed for health foods, supplements, jams and other value-added products,” Slaughter said, “but success depends on market access, production efficiency and cost management.”

According to Modern Agriculture magazine, the market demand for elderberries is growing, with projections for the elderberry sector to reach $600 million by 2030 at a 6.5 percent annual growth rate. The magazine said a small Ohio farm with 10 acres of elderberries could sell two-three tons of fresh or dried berries annually at $3-$5 per pound.

Slaughter said elderberry initial setup costs include healthy cuttings or seedlings, soil amendments, mulch, irrigation and possibly fencing. Recurring costs might include annual pruning, pest control and labor for harvesting and processing.

“Most of the elderberry is grown in Missouri,” Slaughter said. “We took a lot of trips to Missouri and spoke with their Extension specialists and brought back some of their elderberry variations to trial here in Ohio.”

“I highly recommend the Wyldwood elderberry, too,” Slaughter said. “It’s a step above the other varieties. It’s a very productive plant and propagation is easy. One plant grows 15 canes. Farmers can also make money selling the elderberry canes. Rooting the plants themselves brings in between $12 and $15 apiece.”

A plus, Slaughter said, is that elderberries can be grown in hedgerows along field edges, adding income without taking land out of production.